Food is any nutrient-rich material that humans, animals, or plants consume and absorb in order to sustain life. It can be consumed raw, cooked, or in liquid form. Animals and plants use food to obtain energy through photosynthesis. The basic food energy sources are fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and alchol.
Describe food as it actually is: When writing about food, describe what you see, smell, touch, and hear. This gives readers an understanding of the experience of eating and helps you avoid writing a jumble of adjectives that only confuse readers.
Don’t be afraid to experiment: If you’re new to a certain cuisine, try it at home first to get a feel for its flavors and textures. The more you know about different types of cuisine, the easier it will be to write about food in a way that appeals to readers.
Think about the culture: If you’re writing about a cuisine that is new to you, try to incorporate cultural context into your story. For example, if you’re writing about an indigenous cuisine, include the local traditions and customs that surround that cuisine.
Avoid using words like “discovered,” “odd,” “strange,” or “weird” in your writing: These words may seem harmless, but they have negative connotations that are unavoidable when you’re talking about other people’s cultures.
The word “discovered” is particularly problematic in the field of food, because it has undertones of colonialism. No one outside of the community you’re covering “discovered” their cuisine; it was an integral part of their culture, and your use of that word could be interpreted as implying that a particular food is “weird,” despite the fact that it is not uncommon for that dish to be eaten in a particular region or by a specific group of people.
It’s also a good idea to avoid using terms that have negative connotations, such as “odd” or “weird.” You should also make sure to mention any unique flavor profiles that are common to a certain region.
Remember that every meal should be enjoyable and taste good, no matter how much work is involved in preparing it. And that, of course, requires the right ingredients and cooking methods.
Don’t be afraid to write about the process of cooking: This allows you to highlight the skill and craftsmanship that go into the creation of a particular dish. It also lets you bring your story to life, and readers will appreciate seeing the steps that are taken to turn a few ingredients into a delicious meal.
Describe the texture: This can be especially challenging for beginners. It’s best to focus on the softer parts of the dish, such as the rice and vegetables. You can refer to these as creamy, mushy, chewy, tender, and soft.
Achieve a balance between sweetness and saltiness: This is a hard balance to achieve, but it’s essential for any dish to be both delicious and healthy. Adding too much sugar or salt can be harmful to your body, so you should keep these ingredients in check.